Lens grinding machine



June 8, 1943.

LENS GRINDING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1940 A L EX/I/YDER [1.205111% 4 TTORNE V5.

11v VENTOR A; H. ROI-:HR 2,321,247 I "shaft 2.

Patented June 8, 1943 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LENS GRINDING MACHINE Alexander H. Roehr, near Dayton, Ohio, assignor; to David E. Jordan, Dayton, Ohio Application March 8, 1940, Serial No. 323,023

14 Claims.

This invention relates to lens grinding machines and more particularly to the type of such machines wherein the lens is ground on the peripheral edge of a circular grinding stone.

Heretofore it has been the practice for the operator to hold in his hands the lens to be ground in proper position in engagement with the grinding stone in performing the lens grinding operation.

It is the primary object of the invention, therefore, to provide mechanical means for holding the lens in position adjacent the grinding stone,

which means is readily manipulatable by the operator to engage a lens held thereby with the grinding wheel and to move the lens relative to. said wheel so that different portions of the lens' may be engaged therewith as desired during the grinding operation.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide means for supporting the carrier above the- 20 grinding stone in such a manner that it may be moved toward and away from said stone vertically. To this end there is provided a carrier which includes a cross head swingable about a pivotal support above the grinding wheel to enable the The device further includes means for positively holding the carrier in a raised position away from the grinding stone when the same is out of use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully as the description of the invention progresses in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: V

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the carrier and clamp means.

Now referring to the drawing for a detailed description of the invention, the grinding wheel I is fixed to a shaft 2 mounted in suitable bearings 3 secured to frame members 4. The grinding wheel I is driven from a suitable source of power through a pulley 5, also fixed to the Suitably secured to the horizontal frame members 4 are upright or vertical frame members 6, and opposite ends of a shaft 1 are journaledin the upper ends of said frame members 6. A cross 5 head 8 it rotatably J'Ournaled on the shaft! and has fixed thereto, or formed integral therewith, a disc 9 provided with anotchlil for engagement with the latch portion lbof a latching dog [2. The dog I2 is pivotally secured to astub shaft 10 I3; one end of which is fixedto an extension frame member l4 secured to one of the vertical frame members 6. 1

The cross head 8 has a longitudinal channel or groove at'its under side in which the slide 1 member, in the form of a T-rail It, is slidable.

' The, upper cross portion l6a. of the T-rail is supported-in the channel I5 by track members l1,

secured to the cross head 8 by bolts 3.

Take;up strips I9 are provided at either side of the channel liengaging the opposing edges of the cross portion 16a and tensioned by the adjusting bolts 21] for taking up the'transverse play of the slide member I6 respecting the cross head 8.

Secured to the underside of the lower cross portion l 6b of the'slide member I6 are spaced blocks 2| to which is secured a rail 22 by means of counter-sunk screws 23, or any other suitable means. This ran 22 provides the support for the opposed clamping members 24 and 25 which engage opposing ends of a lens, such as indicated at '26, which is to be ground upon the grinding wheel 'I.

' The clamping members 24 and 25 comprise 5 meta1 blocks provided with buifers 24a and '25a of resilient material, such as leather or the like, to prevent bruising of the ends of lens, such as indicated at 26. The clamping members 24 and "25 are -secured-to the rail-22 by means of bolts 2'1 and 28 passing through longitudinal slots 29 V insaid rail. J 7 r a V Theclamp member. 24 is adjustable to different fixed positions respecting the length of the rail 22 by loosening'the bolt 21 to permit movement in its slot 29, and then tightening the bolt 21 when the clamp member. hasbeen moved to the desired position relative-to the normal position of the clamp member 25,t0 accommodate they particular length of lens being'g'round.

. 'Therclamp member 25 is :somewhat loosely retained ontherail 22 by the bolt28 so that the latter is at all, times readily slidablein; its slot rod 3|] is secured toithe clamp member 25 5 -and 'pivotally connectedyasat 3| to one arm 32a of a lever 32 fulcrumed, as at 33, to a bracket 34 secured to the rail 22'.

The arm 32a. of the lever projects through an appropriate slot in the rail 22. A compression spring 35 is provided on the rod 30 between the clamping member 25 and an abutment member 36 provided on the rail 22 and through an opening in which abutment member rod 30 passes. The spring 35 normally urges the clamp member 25 in a direction toward its opposing member 24.

In operation, the clamp member 24 is adjusted to a fixed position at a distance from the clamp member 25 less than the length of the lens to be ground. This adjustment is effected, as above mentioned, by loosening the bolt 21 and moving the clamp member 24 lengthwise of the rail 22' between the ends of the slotthrough which the bolt 21 extends, and then tightening said bolt to fix the clamp member 24 in the desired position.

The lever 32 is then actuated to move the clamp member 25 against the compression of the spring 35 by raising the handle of said lever, whereupon the lens 26 is placed between the opposing clamp members 24 and 25 and the lever 32 released to permit the spring 35 to cause movement of the clamp member 25 into'tight engagement with the lens.

It will be observed that there are provided cushion members 31 at spaced points on the rail 22 for preventing injury to the lens by direct engagement with the underside of the rail 22 when said lens is clamped in position between clamp members 24 and 25. As shown, the cushion members 31 comprise straps of resilient material, such as leather or the like, surrounding the rail 22 With a-lens, such as 2'6, positioned between the clamp members 24 and 25, as above described,

7 the grinding operation will be performed by causing'the-entire carrier to swing about the pivotal axis "lot the cross head 8 so as to bring the un- V dersuriace of the lens 26 into engagement with g the groove Id of the grinding wheel I.

Ihereupon, the slide member l6 may be reciprocated in the cross head 8 by actuation of the handle 39 secured to said slide member in such a manner as to cause the lens 26 to be moved tangentially of the grinding wheel l in the groove la.

:Adjustable slide blocks 40 and 4| are provided on the cross member Ilia ofthe slide member Hi to "act as'abutmnt members for limiting'theiextent of movement of the slide member l6 re: specting the cross head 8. The members 40 and 4| are provided with set screws 4lla'arid lla/respectively for enabling adjustment'of' said members '40 and 4| lengthwise of the slide mem- 'When it is desired to maintain the carrier in raised position so that the lens 26 is disengaged from the grinding wheel, said carrier is swung about'the pivotal axis 1 of the cross head 8 in a clockwise direction, having reference to Figure 1, until the latch portion ll of the latch dog l2 engages in the notch Ill of the disc. 9 fixed to said cross head 8. The latch dog |2'may be readily disengaged from its aforesaid connection with the --cross head 8 by movingthe dog- |2;; about its pivotal axis l3 when it is desired again to swing the carrier into position for engagement of a lens 26 carried thereby with the grinding wheel I.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the invention provides a very efiicient and readily manipulatable means for positively holding and positioning a lens for the grinding operation. The construction is capable of many variations within the scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and I do not intend to be limited to details of structure except as the invention is defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a grinding wheel, and a, lens carrier freely s'wingable about a fixed axis above said wheel and comprising a part reciprocable relative to said axis and transversely of said wheel, whereby to enable movement of said part toward and away from, as, well as transversely of, said grinding wheel.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a grinding wheel of a lens carrier freely swingable about a, fixed axis above said wheel and comprising a part reciprocable relative to said axis and transversely of said wheel, whereby to enable movement of said carrier to ward and away from, as well as transversely of, said grinding wheel, and clamping means for holding a lens on said reciprocable part.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a grinding wheel of a lens carrier supported for free swinging movement about a fixed axis above said wheel and comprising a part reciprocable relative to said axis and transversely of said wheel, whereby to enable movement of said carrier toward and away from, as well as transversely of, said grinding wheel, and means releasably engageable with said carrier for locking said carrier against movement about said axis for maintaining said part withdrawn away from said wheel when the device is not in use.

4. A device as claimed in claim '3, wherein the said means comprises a pivoted latch releasably engageable with said carrier.

5. In a lens holder of the class described, in combination, a support, a pair of clamping members carried by said support and movable in opposite directions relative thereto toward and away from one another on a common line, means for adjusting one of said members to different fixed positions respecting said support and relative to the other member, yieldable means normally urging the other of said members toward the first member along said line, and actuating means associated with said second member to cause'movement of the same away from said first member along "said line against the action of said yieldablemeans. I

6. A lens holder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the actuating means comprises a, lever iulcrumed on said support, and a pivotal connection between said lever and said first member.

7. In a lens holder of the class described, a support, a pair-of clamping members movably carried on said support, one of said members being adjustable todiiferent fixed positions relative to said support and to the other'member, a lever pivoted to said supportgan abutment memher on said support, a'ro'd pivoted to said lever members, a compression spring on said rod intermediate said abutment member and said other of said clamping members for normally urging said last mentioned clamping member toward the first clamping member.

8. In a lens holder of the class described, in combination, a support having slots therein, a pair of clamping members carried by said support, each of said clamping members comprising a part movable in one of said slots, yieldable means normally urging one of said members toward the other, and actuating means associated with said first member to cause movement of said first member away from said other member against the action of said yieldable means, said means comprising a lever pivoted to said support and said lever including an arm extending through one of said slots, and means pivotally connecting the end of said arm with said first member.

9. In a lens holder of the class described, in combination, a support, a pair of clamping members carried by said support, and movable in opposite directions relative thereto on a common line toward and away from one another, means for adjusting one of said members to different fixed positions respecting said support and relative to the second member toward or away from the latter along said common line, yieldable means normally urging the second member toward the other, and actuating means associated with said second member to cause movement of said second member along said line away from said other member against the action of said yieldable means, and resilient means on said support and said clamping members for cushioning a lens held thereby.

10. In a device of the class described, in combination, a grinding wheel, a fixed axis above said wheel, a member pivoted to said axis and supported solely thereby for free swinging movement thereabout, and a lens holder supported by said member for sliding movement relative thereto and transversely of said wheel whereby to enable movement of said lens holder about said axis toward and away from said wheel and transversely of said wheel relative to said member.

11. In a device of the class described, in combination, a grinding wheel, a shaft located above and fixed relative to said wheel, a member pivoted to said shaft and supported solely by said shaft for free swinging movement thereabout, a lens holder supported by said member for sliding movement relative thereto and transversely of said wheel, whereby to enable movement of said lens holder about said axis toward and away from said wheel and transversely of said wheel relative to said member, and means releasably engageable with said member for locking said member against movement about said shaft for maintagning said holder withdrawn away from said wheel when the device is not in use.

12. In a, device of the class described, in combination, a grinding wheel, a shaft located above and fixed relative to said wheel, a member pivoted to said shaft and supported solely by said shaft for free swinging movement thereabout, a lens holder supported by said member for sliding movement relative thereto and transversely of said wheel, whereby to enable movement of said lens holder about said axis toward and away from said wheel and transversely of said wheel relative to said member, and means releasably engageable with said member for locking said member against movement about said shaft for maintaining said holder withdrawn away from said wheel when the device is not in use, and adjustable means for regulating the extent of movement of said lens holder with respect to said member.

13. In a device of the class described, in combination, a support, a pair of opposed clamping members on said support and movable in opposite directions relative thereto toward and away from one another along a common line, one of said members having limited floating movement relative to said support, and the other of said members being adjustable along said line to different fixed positions relative to the support and toward or away from the first member for varying the initial distance between said members to approximate the length of lens to be accommodated, means yieldably urging the first member toward the second and means operable upon the first member to cause movement of the latter relative to the support away from the second member against the action of said yieldable means.

14. In a lens holder of the class described, in combination, a support, a pair of clamping members carried by said support and movable in opposite directions toward and away from one another along a common line, means for adjusting one of said members to different fixed positions respecting said support and relative to the second member, yieldable means normally urging the second one of said members toward the other along said line, and actuating means associated with said second member to cause movement of said second member away from said other member along said line against the action of said yieldable means, and resilient members on the opposing faces of said clamping members for cushioning the opposing ends of a lens received between said clamping members, and resilient members on said support for cushioning engagement with the side of the lens facing the support when the lens is in clamped position 

